Compressed air practice firing device



jm., w, wm M. PME@ www COMPRESSED AIR PRACTICE FIRING DEVICE Filed Feb.1l, 1959 f' f f y1 @www-@MM atenteol Jan. t9, 1943 arr COMPRESSED A1 RPRACTICE FIRING DEVIC Maximilian Peiker, Vienna, Germany; vested in theAlien Property Custodian 2 Claims.

The present invention relates to an arrangement for practice tiring fromguns such as mine throwers, shell throwers or the like and morespecifically pertains to an auxiliary barrel for use on such guns.

An object of the invention resides in providing an auxiliary barrel ofsmall bore adapted to be fitted to a gun barrel wherein the auxiliarybarrel is provided with means for propelling a small projectile bycompressed air.

A more specific object of the invention resides in means for controllingthe admission of compressed air to the auxiliary barrel for propelling aprojectile including a spring-actuated piston normally interrupting thesupply of compressed air including claws for releasing the piston toadmit compressed air in the auxiliary barrel for propeiling a projectiletherein.

Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent from aconsideration of the annexed drawing and the following descriptionwherein an exemplary embodiment of the invention is disclosed.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a mine thrower and the auxiliary barrelmounted on the mine thrower.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevational View partly in section illustratingthe rear portion of the auxiliary barrel.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of the pressure reducing valves connectedin the compressed air supply for the auxiliary barrel.

Referring to the drawing there is shown in Fig.

l a mine thrower having a gun barrel 4. The

mine thrower is of the well known type and an auxiliary barrel 2 issecured to the barrel l of the mine thrower by means of flexible steelclips 5 or the like. The auxiliary barrel 2 is provided with a bore of asmaller caliber than the main bore i and the auxiliary barrel isprovided for the purpose of projecting a relatively small projectile sothat practice firing may be carried out without incurring the costs ofdischarging the main gun. The projectile is adapted to be propelled inthe auxiliary barrel 2 by means of compressed air supplied to theconduit 6.

The rear end of the auxiliary barrel is provided with a casing to whichthe conduit 6 supplying the compressed air is connected. The casing isprovided with a passage leading the compressed air supply from theconduit 6 to the air channel 2li as shown in Fig. 2. This channel isnormally closed by means of a plunger I2 which with a leather packingI3. The leather packing I3 is secured between the plunger I2 and aconical part I4 of the plunger assembly. The plunger I2 is urgedforwardly by means of a spring 9 and releasably maintained in such aposition by means of a pair of claws 8. The claws 3 are pivotablymounted on pins I as shown in Fig. 2.

A striker pin 'I is slidably mounted in an end of the casing andterminates adjacent the small arms of the claws. When the usual gunstriker engages the pin I the latter engages the small arms of the claws8 to thereby pivot the claws on the pins IB. Such pivoting movement ofthe claws will release the plunger I2 for rearward movement by pressureof the compressed air supplied through the conduit 6 and channel 20.Such rearward movement of the plunger I2 uncovers an opening 3E] in thecasing so that the compressed air may then pass into the auxiliarybarrel 2 in back of a projectile therein. The compressed air iiowinginto the auxiliary barrel 2 will thereby eject the projectile from theauxiliary barrel. After the release of the pin I the plunger I2 as wellas the claws 8 and the pin 'I are returned to the initial position bythe spring S whereby the opening 3i! is closed.

The auxiliary barrel 2 may be readily fitted to any type of gun withoutaltering the weapon and it is thereby possible to lire projectiles at arelatively low cost and to practice aiming of the gun in a comparativelysmall space in proportion to the range of an actual projectile firedfrom the gun barrel 4.

The invention includes means for controlling or adjusting the pressureof the compressed air supplied through the conduit 6. Such means mayinclude a plurality of pressure reducing valves 22 as shown in Fig. 3which are set at different pressures. These pressure reducing valves maybe arranged in the compressed air supply conduit 6 and the compressedair may be directed through any one of the reducing valves 22 by meansof a valve 23. All of the pipes leading from the pressure reducing valve22 converge in the supply conduit (i as indicated at II. Thus, thepressure of the compressed air may be reduced before admission to theair channel 25) in Fig. 2 in accordance with the position of the valve23. Thus, it is possible to inuence the trajectory of the projectile redfrom the auxiliary barrel 2 by adjustment of the pressure of thecompressed air supplied to the channel 20.

While the invention has been described with reference to specificstructural details it will be is slidably mounted in the casing andprovided aDDIGCated that Changes may be made therein by those skilled inthe art. Such modications may be made Without departing from the spiritand scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an arrangement for practice ring, an auxiliary gun barrel, acasing secured to the auxiliary gun barrel having a channel therein, aconduit for supplying compressed air to said channel, a plunger, aspring urging the plunger to a position to close said channel, pivotableclaws maintaining the piston in a position to close said channel, aslidable pin for moving the claws to a position to release said plunger,and said casing having an opening therein communicating with theauxiliary barrel closed by the periphery of the piston when the same isin a position to close said channel.

2. In an arrangement for practice firing, an auxiliary barrel having acasing mounted thereon, said casing having a channel therein forreceiving air under pressure, said casing having an opening thereincommunicating with the auxiliary barrel, a plunger movable Within thecasing to close said channel and said opening, pivotable clawsmaintaining the plunger in a position to close said channel and theopening, and means for pivoting said claws to release the plunger formovement by the air under pressure to communicate the channel with saidopening.

MAXIMILIAN PEIKER.

